Hello from BU’s Admissions Reception Center!

By Stacey Milton

121 Bay State Road, home to our visitor center

I am Leah McDermott, the Senior Staff Coordinator based at 121 Bay State Road. I am the very lucky person who gets to manage the day-to-day operations of BU’s “front door.” I really feel that I have one of the greatest jobs in admissions.

Every day I walk down a picture-perfect street lined with brownstones to an ivy-covered building with marble pillars—truly the epitome of what comes to mind when you hear the words “Boston” & “University.” I’ll let you discover what lies behind our ten-foot wooden doors, but the beauty of the building isn’t even half the reason why I love my job so much.

I love the energy and enthusiasm that lives inside this historic building. I spend my days with our student volunteers and staff members and the BU spirit that fills this place is simply contagious. We have about 200 students volunteer to be Ambassadors of BU and I would say the major qualifications for this position are easy to meet: love BU and love talking about why you love BU!

Brownstones along Bay State Road

Our tour guides love chatting with students, parents, staff – even the walls – about their experiences as BU students. I have heard stories ranging from the secrets of Google from a former student intern (well, I now know that they have secrets, I didn’t get the details) to learning how to use a “toilet” during a semester abroad in Morocco. I am constantly wowed by the accomplishments of our students and learn something new exciting about the fabric of our community every day. Ambassadors are the people who live and breathe BU and they jump at the chance to share their excitement with prospective students and their families, and me!

It is this wealth of fresh, positive energy from the students at 121 that has really helped to me feel like a member of the BU community since I started working here last January. The granite steps and wrought iron lattice that lines the porch certainly describe a “Boston” “University,” but it is the passion from our students that defines Boston University. I hope you’ll come visit us here in Boston someday soon so you can meet some of the awesome people I get to work with everyday because we certainly would love to meet you!